Profile: Otto Kessler GmbH&Co. KG

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About Otto Kessler GmbH&Co. KG : The glove, the garment of this unique body part, has the function of protecting the hand against cold and damp, with minimum limitation to its flexibility, therefore the glove should ideally fit like a second skin. At the same time, the glove has to be flexible in order to adjust to the movements and the changing shapes.
A well cut glove can be identified by the fact that it does not squeeze the balled fist of the wearer where the circumference of the hand is maximized, and that it fits closely when the hand is outstretched where the circumference is minimized.

STATEMENT OF ART: Whether you design handbags or other accessories or clothes: I believe that the important thing is to find your own way to it. There are certainly many ways how to work in design, but like my own example shows you don’t necessarily have to study design, as long as you are passionate about design anyway.
Apart from my very own style which is so focused on the shapes, I believe that my key success factor is my good knowledge about the material leather and about the production methods of bag production. When I draw up a new bag I already think about how exactly it should be cut and sewn, and this I think is important because many of the traditional bag producers used to tell me that something I wanted was impossible, but learning more and more about the production I can say today that what I draw can be made.

ORGANIZATION: Otto Kessler GmbH & Co. KG

EDUCATION: German designer Anne Schmitt was born in 1981 into a family business of leather goods. She grew up surrounded by the leather accessories of the family production, and throughout her school and university education (in business, not fashion) she has worked in leather goods.

EXPERIENCE: From selling handbags in a store in France, to visiting tanneries in Scandinavia, New Zealand, the UK; from presenting the collection at trade shows in Milan, and working as a designer to selling to professional accounts in London and Madrid Anne has taken in all aspects of the business.
“I never wanted to study fashion… sure you can learn techniques about how to develop a collection… but you can’t ‘learn’ creativity. Either you have it, or you don’t.”
After having designed an estimated 1000 (one thousand) different glove designs Anne was looking for a new challenge, a new product: handbags.
Whilst for a glove the shape is predetermined and the design is all about the details, in her handbag creations Anne was free to focus on different shapes and experiment with forms. A pure and precise cut in combination with a distinct, sculpture-like aesthetics.
After completing her university degree she launched her own accessories brand Gretchen, with a range of handbags, belts and yes, of course also gloves.
“The base for all that I do today lies in the gloves. This tiny little accessory has taught me so much. I couldn’t have undergone a better school.”

MEMBERSHIPS & ASSOCIATIONS: 2015 Alliance of International Business Associations
2015 International Beurau of Service Providers
2015 International Society of Product Manufacturers
2015 International Council of Creative Industries
2015 International Council of Creative Industries
2015 International Association of Designers